NBA Draft 2021: Grades for all 30 draft picks from the first round

22. Indiana Pacers: Isaiah Jackson, Forward, Kentucky

Grade: C

With the way the roster is constructed, this pick didn’t make a ton of sense to me. Jackson is a plus athlete, but his slow processing speed on both ends makes it feel like he’s a year or two away from being a legitimate contributor. The Pacers went “win-now” at No. 13 with Chris Duarte, so why go upside here?

There’s rumors Myles Turner could be on the move this offseason, meaning Jackson and Goga Bitazde are the only true centers remaining. Throwing Jackson into the fire this early would not be ideal. I wouldn’t hate Jackson to a rebuilding team in this range, but it feels like the Pacers want to be competitive. Usman Garuba would have been my pick here.

23. Houston Rockets: Usman Garuba, Forward, Spain

Grade: B

In a vacuum, Garuba at No. 23 is really good value. But after taking Alperen Sengun at No. 16, while already rostering Christian Wood, they’ve got a bit of a logjam upfront. And none of those players are Evan Mobley, who I believe they should have just taken at No. 2 to begin with.

Garuba does fill gaps defensively that Sengun lacks in. His fit makes sense with Wood on both ends. The hope here is that one of Sengun or Garuba eventually shoots and they make sense together. If Garuba shoots, he could be that P.J. Tucker mold that was so valuable for Houston. Given they are in a complete rebuild, going best player available here wasn’t the worst thing ever.

24. Houston Rockets: Josh Christopher, Guard, Arizona State

Grade: B-

This was a bit high for most people, but I’ve long been a Christopher believer so I like the potential here. The Rockets added two bucket-getters in this class with Christopher and Jalen Green. I worry there’s some overlap and not enough playmaking with that duo and Kevin Porter Jr., but having three players who can theoretically create their own shot could be a good thing.

I would have opted for a point guard here, but the Rockets are clearly going by their version of “best player available”. That wing trio will have ups-and-downs but they should all get reps in the rebuild. If Christopher fine-tunes his bad shot selection and locks in defensively, he could become a real asset. There’s a very real chance this experiment fails, and I commend the Rockets for getting creative. Plus, this group should be loads of fun.